Reading Festival 2013

Yesterday I got back from an incredible weekend at Reading Festival. For those of you that didn't know, Reading Festival is a music fesitval held every year in, you guessed it, Reading! They are consistent in always having brilliant artists and an amazing atmosphere. This was my first time and I was so excited to go. Although I have been to a couple of festivals in the past, I'm not an overly experience festival go-er. This was this year's line-up:

I have to say it was one of the best weekends I've ever had. I absolutely love music, especially live music. I've been to a countless number of concerts so a weekend full of live music was just ideal for me. 

We got there on the Thursday evening and met a nice group of lads where we had pitched our tent. Soon enough the cans of cider were out and I was being handed shots of absinthe around a camp fire! Then before I knew it I was outside an oxygen bar! It was a pretty great first night. Then Friday came and the music kicked in! Here are just a few of my music highlights from Friday:

 Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

They were one of my favourite bands when I was younger, so having the chance to see them live was great. They absolutely killed it and although the whole set was amazing, this song was one of my favourites!

Frank Turner - The Way I Tend To Be

I hadn't heard much of Frank Turner before aside from a few of his songs, but he really impressed me. He sounded great live, and this song was great to sing along to. Another song I love from his is Photosynthesis which is definitely worth a listen!

Kodaline - Brand New Day

Kodaline are a band I am absolutely loving at the moment and I was so happy to see them live. They sounded great and my friend and I managed to realise that they are all very attractive, which was a small added bonus.

There are so many more highlights from Friday, but I don't want to bore you with too many! 

Saturday was just as good, if not better than Friday! Although I was starting to show small signs of wear and tear (bad throat, stiff legs etc) that still did not stop me from dancing until my feet like they would fall off! Some highlights were:

Imagine Dragons - Radioactive

This is another band I'm loving at the moment. This song was absolutely incredible live. The whole audience erupted and the atmosphere was indescribable. The video really does not do it justice. 

Chase & Status - Count On Me

I absolutely love Chase & Status, especially on a night out! This song wasn't my favourite but it was the best one I could find. Their whole set had the audience going insane, and the vibe was great. 

Another highlight was of course Eminem. Sadly there are no videos as he refused for the footage to be televised - a rule he has for some reason. He isn't an artist I love, apart from his most iconic songs, but he owned the stage. I wouldn't have paid to see just him, but so glad I took the opportunity to see him.

Sunday's highlights:

Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light It Up)

I loved Fall Out Boy when I was younger, and still do love them. This song was amazing live, and they are definitely one of the best bands I've seen live. Once again, the video does not do it justice. 

Biffy Clyro - Mountains

There are honestly no words to describe this. I'm a big Biffy Clyro fan, and this was their closing song and it was just incredible. This is one of my favourite songs by them and when this came on I was totally lost in the moment. 

There are so many more bands/songs I could mention, but you can check out more for yourself on YouTube or the BBC Radio 1 website if you want to.

I would recommend this festival, or any others to anyone. They are a fantastic experience. 

HOWEVER, if you are a complainer, don't bother! You will not shower, you will be forced to use horrendous smelling toilets with no toilet paper, you will be hungover (if you are a drinker), you will be dirty/muddy and you WILL have beer/cider/piss land on you. You will also likely be crushed in the crowds and will need a couple of days to recover afterwards. If you are not prepared for all of that and more (your feet will hurt - a lot) then I would say that it is not for you. 

It was one of the best experiences of my life to date, although I write this whilst sporting a bad cold/cough, covered in bruises and feeling very tired and worse for wear! It was all 100% worth it though and I would do it all again a hundred times over. I am already saving for my ticket for next year. If you went, or have been to festivals in the past, or any others this Summer, please leave a comment (or tweet me @BlitheTalks) telling me about it! I'd love to hear your stories.